Saffron Walden Museum is proud of its very latest exhibit and will be displaying it with pride. The museum has proved it has the edge in caring for both its exhibits and its visitors – and that's official. On Monday (2 April) it gained its Accreditation Certificate to officially recognise just that.

The framed certificate, presented by Saffron Walden MP Sir Alan Haselhurst, is effectively the 'gold standard' for museums to recognise a high level of service and was presented to Saffron Walden Museum Society Vice Chairman Edwin Planterose.

Sir Alan said: "It's a pleasure to know the museum has achieved this standard and it is a matter of congratulation for everyone involved from the top to the bottom. It's a source of a lot of satisfaction to the people of Saffron Walden."

The Museums Libraries Archives' (MLA) Accreditation scheme sets nationally agreed standards for UK museums. To meet the scheme's requirements, museums must demonstrate they achieve clearly defined standards relating to governance and management, user services, visitor facilities and collections management. Saffron Walden Museum has been awarded the status of full accreditation.

Gathered for the event were: UDC's Director for Communities Tracy Turner, MLA's East of England Chief Executive Terry Turner with his colleagues Nicolas Boyer, Regional Development Officer for Museums and Samuel Rowlands, Museums and Standards Officer.

They joined Curator Carolyn Wingfield and her staff, including the museum's Natural Sciences Officer Sarah Kenyon; Visitor Services Officer Maureen Evans; Education Officer Jenny Gibsone and Security Officer Tony Carter.

Curator Carolyn Wingfield said: "This mark of excellence will help towards the Heritage Quest Centre, our new research and resource centre on Thaxted Road. If we meet our targets and make a successful bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, we hope it will be operational by 2008."

Thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers, the museum is open 363 days a year. Currently Blades – A Cutting Edge Exhibition is on show until 3 June. It features edged tools and weapons from swords to ploughshares and pastry cutters, from Stone Age flint blades to a Victorian court dress sword, from sugar snippers to a Samurai sword.